The BMW (Z3) M Coupe is the SR-71 Blackbird of the BMW M world (if you have no clue what an SR-71 is, you have some Googling to do). The SR-71 was designed by Lockheed’s ultra secret internal Skunkworks division, whereas the BMW M Coupe was the secret internal project of BMW Motorsport GmbH engineer Burkhard Goschel. Following the tradition that resulted in the E30 3 Series Touring, Goschel penned a hatchback onto the already fantastic M Roadster. Adding a lid to a platform originally designed to be convertible resulted in the most rigid BMW ever (at the time). The M Coupe was roughly 260% more rigid than the M Roadster. It was destined to be a one-off novelty, hidden deep within the basement vault of M GmbH forever, but then BMW did something shocking—and offered it for sale! Enthusiasts salivated in anticipation of a shooting brake-style hatchback, with its staggeringly unique lines and the power and handling to back them up. Those who could afford the M Coupe snatched them up, but the rest of the world did not receive it as kindly. Its brash and harsh lines were too much for the conservative mainstream BMW audience of the time. Roughly 2100 (S52 powered) M Coupes were produced in total. Dealers hated them because they would take forever to sell off the lot. Oh how times have changed! As the rest of the motoring world caught up with the M Coupe, it has become one of BMW’s most coveted Motorsport cars. The M Coupe’s unique and timeless design is still relevant today, earning it many looks, compliments, and questions; “Is that a new model?” is a common one. They are only climbing in value; the time to get one is now!

Summary

BMW M Coupes are one of our speciality vehicles at Glen Shelly. I have owned my personal M Coupe and have been heavily involved in the M Coupe community for over a decade. This Cosmos Black over black and grey leather example is one of only forty-one 2000 model year black over grey combinations. It is a three-owner car that spent its entire life in Florida until it came to us in Colorado. Two years ago we sold it to its third owner—a Glen Shelly regular. Now it’s back in our hands on consignment after he purchased our Laguna Seca Blue M Coupe last year. It is completely stock and unmolested, with 97,100 miles on the odometer. All common issues have been addressed or are not present. Before we sold it last we did a preventative cooling system overhaul, saggy glovebox reinforcement, delrin seat bushing retrofit, leaky mirror retrofit with solid state internals, inspected the trunk floor spot welds (they were healthy), with lots more. In preparation for sale this time around we performed an oil change, replaced the air filter, oil stand gasket, thermostat housing, VANOS oil line, rear hatch struts, a windshield washer pump, and replaced the rear shock mounts with Rouge mounts so they are accessible without interior disassembly for next time. We also replaced the driver’s side seatbelt receptacle due to an SRS light. Cosmetically, we replaced the center console switch and gearshift panel, air conditioning switch, and replaced the headliner due to light sag in the hatch area. The end result is a turn-key M Coupe ready for the next chapter of its story. M Coupes are like air-cooled 911s—time is always on your side. This one occupies a sweet spot in the market, being at the right matrix of condition, mileage, and price for an M Coupe you can use and enjoy, but still will continue to appreciate steadily.

Exterior

Cosmos Black Metallic is one of the best M Coupe colors. The dark metallic paint accentuates the aggressive lines of the form. In black, the word batmobile immediately comes to mind, but I see an SR-71 thanks to an arrow shaped hood and wide fender flares. The paint on this example is in good condition. There is a small ding in the passenger rear quarter panel. The front bumper has a spot in the center of failed clear coat that has been touched up. There is zero rust and all VIN tags are in place except for the panel behind the left front wheel (a commonly replaced part). I have no documentation of why it missing, but the Carfax is clean and there are no indications of any accidents—the unibody, panel gaps, control arms, suspension, and front and rear subframe are all perfectly straight. I can provide a paint gauge report on request. The Roundels and M badges are brilliant with no crazed or faded paint. All trim and black-work are present and not UV faded. 2000 and later model year M Coupes received chrome rings around the internal headlight lenses. The outer lenses are clear and translucent; there is slight yellowing on the inner low beam lenses from high intensity bulbs. All indicator lenses and taillight housings are clear and crack-free. The Style 40 Roadstar staggered wheels (17” x 7.5” front and 17” x 9“ rear) are clean, with the only curb rash being a small amount on the driver’s rear wheel. The rest of the wheels only have some small nicks in the paint.

Interior

Two-tone interiors are one of the M Coupe’s best design features. Black and grey are perfect interior colors to complement the Cosmos Black Metallic exterior. Open the door and you are greeted with that lovely leather smell that only Z3 M Coupes and Roadsters have. Sit down and it is apparent that this is a proper sports car. It has a cockpit-like feel, with a low seating position, round chrome-ringed gauges, and a long hood out front. The SR-71 comes to mind again. We had the headliner replaced in preparation for sale, it was sagging in a few places. The carpets have no stains or tears and are protected my M factory floor mats. The seat leather is in excellent condition with no tears, stains, or failed seams. The seat bushings do not rock; they have been upgraded with delrin bushings from Ireland Engineering. All seat motors work, as do the seat heaters. There is slight wear on the driver’s side seat bolster. The 3-spoke steering wheel has light wear. The instrument cluster has no blown out pixels and all gauges work correctly. The CD-43 Business CD player has no blown out pixels and the volume rheostat works correctly (common issues). The glovebox does not sag; it has had a reinforcement kit installed. The auto-dimming rearview mirror has been replaced with one with solid state internals. The center console switch panel is not cracked thanks its recent replacement. The color is slightly off, but we were lucky to get the part at all, as BMW only makes them in limited runs due to the wide variety of color combinations that Z3Ms came in. All interior functions work correctly; power windows, power door locks, cruise control; the heat blows warm and the air conditioning blows cold. The rear hatch divider is present and in great shape. The trunk carpet is clean, and underneath the tool kit and owner’s manuals are present.

Mechanical

This is a turn-key M Coupe; all major and preventative maintenance is up to date. It has always been properly owned and benefitted from regular oil changes and routine maintenance. It comes with good records from the previous owners, as well as an invoice from our most recent service. The S52 engine is one of BMW’s reliable power plants, having none of the rod bearing issues or needing the valve adjustments that the later S54 powered M Coupes did. In preparation for sale it received: an oil change, oil stand gasket replacement, Rogue Engineering rear shock mounts, a replacement driver’s seat belt receptacle, a fresh windshield washer pump, thermostat housing, rear hatch struts, and a new center console (these cracking is a common issue). The S52B32 engine idles smoothly, pulls strong, and has no Vanos rattle or lifter knock. It does not leak, drip, or spot. The clutch and shifter are crisp and precise. There is no 5th gear lean due to worn shift pins (a common issue). The brakes are firm, the suspension is compliant, and there are no driveline or wheel bearing noises or vibrations. The suspension bushings are tight. The rear trunk floor has no sunken spot welds and the rear differential mounts have no tears. Like any M Coupe it will need, and deserves, the preventative care and maintenance that all BMWs of this vintage do, but at present it is properly sorted and ready for its new home.

Glen Shelly is a low volume auto brokerage focused only on the highest quality vehicles. We are two airline pilots, mechanics, and auto enthusiasts who bring a high level of professionalism and attention to detail to the automobile business. Our philosophy is to keep our inventory small so that we can focus on thorough mechanical and cosmetic preparation of the vehicles we select. We have over 20 years of experience restoring and repairing automobiles and are intimately familiar with our cars. We do the inspections, service, detailing, and corrective maintenance using only OEM parts and service manuals. We offer an informed and low-pressure sales environment resulting in a premium buying experience. Find out more about us at www.Glenshelly.com.

Seller

Glen Shelly Auto BrokersErie, CO

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My Comments

Posted: 7/18/2019 8:08:04 AM by Jon Martin

Price reduced to $26,800 from $28,500 which is better

Posted: 7/3/2019 11:50:12 AM by Jon Martin

It's back with a few more miles but still looks good. It's had some more good maintenance too.